HOW GOD SEES US
Deuteronomy
4:1-2,6-9
1 Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow
them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the
Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2 Do not add to what I command
you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God
that I give you. 6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and
understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say,
“Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” 7 What other
nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is
near us whenever we pray to him? 8 And what other nation is so great as to have
such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you
today? 9 Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not
forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long
as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
The Old Covenant
If we obey the laws of God and pass them on to our children,
we will have a good life full of success, wisdom, understanding and God’s support.
The New Covenant
The New Covenant was initiated by the death and resurrection
of Christ and inscribes the laws of God in our hearts. When we repent and, with
the Grace of God, accept Christ as our Savior, our sins (past, present and
future) are forgiven. With Christ living in us, our sinful nature dies and we
are freed from our prison of sin. We become a new creation that is righteous in
the eyes of God. We no longer have to strive for approval and perfection. With
Christ, we are reconciled and God sees us as His children, heirs to His Kingdom
for eternity. We get to know Him as our loving Father. God fills us with His
Spirit so that we may bring others to Him by preaching His Word, telling
everyone that the Kingdom of Heaven is here, by healing and performing miracles
in the Name of Jesus.
We must see ourselves like God sees us. We must replace (renew) our old minds by using a "thought filter" to resist and block “old thoughts” which come from our “old nature” and focus on
the “new reality” which is living with Christ in His Kingdom. Life is no longer
about ‘what you used to be’ but it’s about ‘who you are now’ as a new creation
filled with the Holy Spirit and the goodness of God. We are
dead to sin and alive in Christ ... God's will prevails. We now operate with the Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control) and we are given the Gifts of the Spirit to share with others.
HOW GOD SEES US